Bonds of the Three
by 4thFromTheFurnace
Summary: Jack and Crow find themselves staring beyond the glass at the symbols of their futures, unaware that the hospital air could be getting to them.  Part II of Father's Day Trilogy Special.  Theme #4 -Poll One-Shot Writing Challenge


**This one's probably my favorite of the Father's Day Trilogy Special. Part II: Another tribute to all the dads out there. You're awesome. **

**Theme #: 4 (Poll One-Shot Writing Challenge)**

**I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.**

"Jus' look at 'em, Jack."

"Crow, your stupid face is making smudge marks on the glass." The King crossed his arms, but did not close his eyes as his gaze held on the little world beyond the glass separation.

Crow growled, pumping his fist lightly at his friend's face, "You know you're just as excited as I am, Jack. Stop being such a stuffed collar and stuff it!"

The blond huffed as the two grew suddenly silent; Crow in a state of suspended awe and Jack looking on, his arms folded over his chest and a classic stoic expression on his face. The prideful, cheeky grin would not leave Crow's face, and, after glancing down at his friend then back at the glass, a small smile tugged at the corner of Jack's mouth.

Both pairs of eyes were drawn to the respective parts of the room where the tiny objects of their interest lay peacefully in clear plastic cradles. The room beyond was buffered from their hearing, and the voices of the two obnoxious friends was obscured from all behind the glass.

Crow's wide silver eyes shimmered in awe and pride. His mouth hung open as his gaze hung upon the small moving object on the other side. After swallowing the lump in his throat, he finally regained the ability to speak.

"Ain't she beautiful? Got her father's hair, no doubt about it."

Jack shifted his violet eyes to look at the little bundle that Crow's finger had gestured to, his fingertip shoved against the glass.

Sure enough, a light dusting of red hair covered the pinkish scalp of a tiny human being curled up tightly in her little plastic house.

Crow went on, clearly no longer aware if Jack was still listening or not.

"She's so beautiful. No stupid delusional airheads are going to come after my baby girl. Well, if they do…nobody'll miss 'em at least."

Crow relinquished a satisfied sigh and the hall became quiet once again. For a few moments, that is.

"Isn't it awesome, Jack? Think about it. You know, the gift of life. We were that little once."

Jack harrumphed, acknowledging his agreement with his classic signal of overconfident denial. Crow's eyes held on the corresponding carrot-topped bundle, "Wow…can you imagine? Taking them to school, going to the park, their graduation…college…You know…all the stuff we didn't get."

Frowning, Crow groaned, "It's gonna move way too fast, isn't it?"

After a moment of silence, Crow inquired, "So Jack, what are you thinking?"

Jack glanced at the ceiling thoughtfully before giving a short matter-of-fact answer, "I'm thinking of growing a beard."

Crow jerked his head towards Jack, an incredulous expression on his face, "Wha—?"

Raising his hand to stroke his chin, Jack gave a firm nod, "Perhaps a goatee. Yes, that would do quite nicely."

Crow took a step closer, his mouth unable to form words. Jack eyed his friend, giving a light shrug, "What? Any son of Jack Atlas should know—"

"Jack, are you serious?"

Shifting his head to acknowledge his friend, the King raised his eyebrows, "Come on, Crow. Just take a look."

Nodding towards another plastic cradle, Jack urged his friend's attention to the babe across the room. The pinkish pale bundle was nearly bald and currently squirming about, his hands waving about in the air.

Jack straightened, a surge of his classic pride evident in his very posture. Taking in the sight of his teammate's posture and expression, Crow slowly smiled. Jack tried to act all macho, but he was a total sucker for the little one that bore his name and his genes.

The Duel King puffed his chest , and he swallowed, a touch of something odd playing on the very edges of his mouth. The Bullet inhaled sharply as his silver eyes darted to the little mass of genes and joy that belonged to him, the little girl stretching and curling her fingers.

The King's voice was the first to break the silence, "Mine's going to be the best, you know."

Crow, immediately snapping out of his daze, growled, "What do you mean by that, Jack?"

The blond smirked, "Easy, Crow. While your _little girl_ is going to go to school, or even Duel Academy, if she's _really_ lucky, my boy will grow under the private tutelage of Jack Atlas himself."

When Jack was finished, there was only silence, followed immediately by Crow's sudden roar of laughter. Crow hooted, "And you expect your boy to be able go to college?"

Jack bristled, "Hey! What do you mean by that?"

Crow continued to laugh, "Well, you said your boy was going to be the best. But the way I see it, Jack, is that my girl is going to have the upper hand in education, not to mention looks and a very impressive father figure."

"Are you daft? There's no way—" Jack stuttered, completely unable to form any sort of words. It must have been the hospital air getting to him.

"Basically, my girl will be able to take your son in a duel any day of the week."

The blond sneered, "Really? Would you like to test that?"

Crow flexed his arm, "Well, if you're sure you won't get your outfit dirty there, champ."

Both men reached into their pockets, Jack into his inner jacket pocket and Crow into his pants pocket, and withdrew their decks.

Crow grinned, "Alright, let's duel!"

"You're on. And when I win, you and your daughter will—"

"Um, Jack? Crow? What are you guys doing?" the very voice of reason questioned. Jack turned around quickly to face the black-haired man who narrowed his eyes, raising an eyebrow, "Were you guys actually dueling over which of your kids is better?"

Yusei could barely withhold a knowing smirk. Both caught red-handed, they stuttered, and, naturally, Crow was the first to speak, smiling sheepishly, "Yusei…ahem…what are you doing here? Where's Aki?"

Shaking his head with a heavy exhale, Yusei gestured with his free hand back down the hall, "She's taking turns in the hospital rooms. Visiting your _wives_, who are both tired, but doing pretty well, by the way. You two weren't there so I went to look for you."

Crow's gaze found the floor, slightly embarrassed at having been found about to play a children's card game in a hospital hallway over whose kid was going to grow up to be superior.

Jack, flustered and angry and finally finding his voice for the third time that day, exclaimed, "Yusei! Don't interfere! This is a serious battle between men! There'll be no room for your uh…eh…meddling!"

It must have been…the blond hadn't realized Yusei was even there. So much excitement in one day set him on edge and made it difficult to think clearly. Yes, that was it.

Crow bit his lip, trying to withhold himself from laughing again. That is, until his dark-haired friend began to walk past them, adjusting the sleeping black-haired toddler on his hip, "Very well. However, you two do realize that those two will probably get married twenty-five years from now, right?"

The Signers of the wings and the tail could only stare blankly at the back of the man who bore the Dragon's head.

Completely and utterly dumbfounded.

Once again, it was Crow who found his thoughts first. It must have been…well…nope, there was no other excuse this time.

"Wha—? Yusei, get back here! You can't be serious!"

Crow whipped around to shove his hands against the glass, "There's no way. There's just no way. My baby…No…"

Spinning back and forth between eyeing his baby girl and glaring at his old friend in disgust, Crow fumbled, "My baby girl…and th-the s-_SPAWN_ of Jack Atlas?"

"WHAT? You wanna say that again, you miserable birdbrain?"

Listening intently to the increasing commotion behind him, the smirk continued to hold on Yusei's face. Glancing down for a moment at the little one sleeping over his shoulder, a light chuckle caught his throat.

Oh yeah. Almost thirty years and he's still got it.

**I may rewrite it and add a bit more humor, I'm not sure. Later, everyone! Lord bless, praying for ya!**


End file.
